CVE-2021-42743

Local privilege escalation via unsafe Node search path

Published May 6, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Uncontrolled search path in Splunk Enterprise before 8.1.1 on Windows allows local users to execute code as the Splunk user. The default Node executable path is misconfigured, but Splunk has not disclosed which invocation or path lookup operation accepts the unsafe search location. A lower-privileged local account is required, and successful exploitation gains the permissions of the Splunk service account.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path in Splunk Enterprise before 8.1.1 on Windows allows local users to execute code as the Splunk user. The default Node executable path is misconfigured, but Splunk has not disclosed which invocation or path lookup operation accepts the unsafe search location. A lower-privileged local account is required, and successful exploitation gains the permissions of the Splunk service account.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-42743
Published
May 6, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Splunk, Inc.
Product
Splunk Enterprise
Classifications
CWE-427, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 6, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=8.1 version(s) before 8.1.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Splunk, Inc. · Splunk Enterpriseversion=8.1 version(s) before 8.1.1

Published CVSS scores

8.8Splunk Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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